ALLIED IRISH BANKS has appointed Bernard Byrne, who was named director of personal and business banking last month, to the board of the bank.

Mr Byrne joined AIB as chief financial officer in May 2010 from the ESB where he was finance and commercial director. He is the first executive director appointed to the board since David Hodgkinson took over as executive chairman in October 2010.

Mr Byrne becomes the ninth board member at AIB. Three directors were appointed by the Government, Dick Spring and Declan Collier in January 2009 following the bank guarantee, and Dr Michael Somers in January 2010.

A further two directors, former Intel Ireland general manager Jim O’Hara and former JP Morgan executive Catherine Woods, joined the board in October 2010.

There are three board members who pre-date the 2008 banking crisis – Stephen Kingon, David Pritchard and Anne Maher. All three were appointed in 2007. These three directors will not seek re-election at the annual meeting of the bank on July 21st.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has asked any directors at the banks appointed before the crisis to stand down. Mr Noonan said earlier this week that more than 75 per cent of directors serving on the night of the bank guarantee in September 2008 no longer have a role in the management of the banks.